Important Things To Know

Important Things To Know


Nutrition and Your Child



They went to the cupboard... Today, feeding children is
based on concerns about heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and
high blood pressure. There is reason to be concerned. More than
20 percent of American children are overweight with a good
chance that 50 to 70 percent of them will remain overweight as
adults. It is important for parents to set good examples of
healthful eating. Research shows that children develop eating
habits similar to those of their parents. While it is a
parent's job to provide balanced selections from the five food
groups, children can be allowed a certain amount of freedom to
choose what and how much they eat.

Poor eating habits and craving for sugar snacks and fatty
foods may develop if parents fail to direct the decisionmaking
process. Remember that the issue isn't "good foods" versus "bad
foods". If children balk at food put before them, don't worry.
Studies show children will, over time, eat the amount of food
that is right for them if they are offered healthful choices.
You can't expect a child to want to eat broccoli if french
fries are offered, or drink milk or orange juice when parents
are drinking sodas. Of course, an occasional high fat food,
gooey dessert, sugary snack, or soda is permissible, provided
they are not substitutes for nutritious foods. Parents can make
eating a pleasure for the entire family by helping create
positive attitudes about food that will lead to a lifetime of
good health.

What are the five food groups, and how can we help the
entire family eat a balanced diet? The food guide pyramid on
this page shows how to select a balanced diet and how to teach
your child to make wise choices.


How many servings do you need each day?

Many Children, Teen
women, teen girls, boys,
older active women, active
adults most men men

about about about
Calorie level* 1,600 2,200 2,800

Bread Group Servings 6 9 11
Vegetable Group Serving 3 4 5
Fruit Group Servings 2 3 4
Milk Group Serving 2-3** 2-3** 2-3**
Meat Group Servings 2, for a 2, for a 3, for a
total of total of total of
5 ounces 6 ounces 7 ounces
--------------------------------------------------------------
Total Fat (grams) 53 73 93


* These are the calorie levels if you choose low fat. lean
foods from the 5 major food groups and use foods from the
fats, oils, and sweets group sparingly.

** Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, teenagers, and
young adults to age 24 need 3 servings.



A balanced diet includes food from each of the following
food groups: 1. grains (bread, cereal, rice, and pasta); 2.
fruit (fresh, dried, or unsweetened canned); 3. vegetables (raw
or lightly cooked); 4. meat (meat, poultry, fish, dried beans,
eggs, and nuts); and 5. dairy (milk, yogurt, and cheese). Offer
your children nutritious choices for meals and snacks. This way
you can help them control their own diet. For example, you
might offer a choice of an apple, an orange, or a banana. With
older children (aged 7 and up) you can start by planning a menu
together, letting the children check to make sure it includes
all five food groups.

Remember that each of the food groups provides some, but
not all, of the nutrients a child needs. Foods in one group
can't replace those in another. No one of these major food
groups is more important than another. For good health, all are
necessary.

What's for breakfast? Many of us do not eat in the
morning. Estimates suggest that up to 25 percent of all
school-aged children leave the house without breakfast.

You may think that breakfast is just another meal.
For a child, breakfast provides much needed energy (calories)
to start the day off right. Adults may be able to make up for
skipped breakfast by grabbing something on the way to work or
while doing morning errands. Your child, however, does not have
that opportunity. A nursery school child usually has a
mid-morning snack 3 to 5 hours after waking up. After
kindergarten, few children are offered a morning snack.

Getting your child to eat breakfast isn't always easy. Try
to tune into your child's morning personality. A sleepyhead may
need a quick breakfast. An early riser may like to eat
breakfast before getting dressed. If this conflicts with your
morning schedule, let your children get their own breakfast.
Even a 6-year-old can open a container of yogurt.



A good breakfast consists of complex carbohydrates and
simple sugars (breads, whole grains, fiber, fruits, and
vegetables); proteins (dairy, chicken, beef, fish, eggs, nuts,
and dried beans), and some fat. Carbohydrates and simple sugars
offer quick energy but leave the stomach quickly. A breakfast
of only carbohydrates can give a child the mid-morning "blahs".
When milk, cheese, yogurt, lean meat, or an egg is added, the
food stays in the stomach longer and provides sustained energy.